Ski binding



R. HATLAPA April 5, 1966 SKI BINDING 5 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed April 25, 1962 R. HATLAPA April 5, 1966 SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NSN www Mmmm.. @vw www www www O M m o @f m@ III O o o m o www o www www Kvm @www @NN msm www EN mmm i R. HATLAPA April 5, 1966 5 SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed April 25, 1962 R. HATLAPA April 5, 1966 SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed April 25, 1962 m .mt

R. HATLAPA April 5, 1966 SKI BINDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 25, 1962 United States Patent F s claims. (ci aso-11.35)

lThis is a divisional yapplication of the pending application Serial No. 190,064, tiled April 25, 1962, now Patent No. 3,186,727 issued June l, 1965.

The present invention relates to a ski binding for connecting the skis with the boot.

Various bindings are known for this purpose. For ini stance, cables slung around the heel, rocker arms, with tension fork gripping over the rear edge of the heel, tele- Iscopic guided tension forks and similar provisions have been proposed before. The constructions are mostly provided with spring members, lifting anks and so on, which are arranged to automatically release the binding in case of ov'erstrain.l i

Most of these constructions comply with this purpose insuiciently only; this is due to the disturbing frictional forces usually arising in the cable guides, sliding blocks, telescopes and on they boot soles; these frictional forces bring about the result that the binding either does not hold or in case of emergency does not correctly open. Nearly all these bindings have only one degree of freedom for opening when overloaded, thus two different bindings at a time must be coupled together. Mostly a binding for vtightening down the heel opening at a vertical overstrain and a binding of the boot tip opening at a horizontal eX- cessive torsional load are used incombination. A heavy construction, non-balanced adjustable members or necessary ttings on the boot are further disadvantages of bindings of this kind. It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a ski binding which avoids these drawbacks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide l'a ski binding which includes a heel sole plate, as well as 'means for rigidly attaching `and strapping the heel sole plate .to a ski boot, which heel hole plate rests on and is restained on the ski by abutments, at least one of which is :spring-biased, and the abutments disengaging the heel sole plate from the ski in case of a vertical or a horizontal overstrain and permitting the heel sole plate to be engaged again with said abutments.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection With the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a side` elevation, partly in section, of a first embodiment of the ski binder;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a second embodimen of the ski binding;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view ofthe second embodiment of the ski binder, showing a `slight variation thereof;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of the second embodiment of the ski binding disclosing still a further variation thereof;

FIG. 7 is a top plan FIG. 6; i

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of theski binding indicating a variati-on of the embodiment disclosed in FIG, 5; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. l and 2, the first embodiment of the present invenview of the variation shown in 3,244,431 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 tion comprises as a disengageable holder, according to the present invention, a heel sole plate 101 which rests on the ski 102 and is secured by means of an immovable ball 103 and a spring biased larger ball 104. The ball 103 rests in a seat 105, which is rigidly screwed to the ski ,102. A second seat 106 for the larger ball 104 is provided in the boot backstop 107 of the plate 101. The ball 104 is embedded in a spring pin 108 and is secured by a flange 109 against falling out. Closely behind the plate 101 is arranged a guidance housing 110 for the spring pin 108; the guidance housing 110 is rigidly screwed to the ski and abuts the plate 101 with its surface 111 from behind. A spring 112 presses the spring pin 10S with the ball 104 into the seat 106 and abuts by way of an adjustment screw 113 against the guidance housing 110. The end of the spring pin 108 passing through the adjustment screw 113 carries the counter nuts 114 yand 115 by which a forward movement of the spring pin 108 is limited.

Two side anges 116 arejinserted into the double walled heel sole plate 101, the flanges 116 being secured against being drawn out by catches 117, and being provided with arresting grooves 118 which engage pins 119 of the plate `101. A spring blade 120 is attached to a rivet 121 and presses the side flanges 116 against the pins 119 causing the latter to snap into the grooves 118. Outside the plate 101, the side lianges 116 have rings 122, Vwhere a longitudinally adjustable heel tightener 123 is hooked'in. The heel tightener 123 presses the boot forwardly in the direction -of a front swivel jaw 113 which is pivoted on the threaded pin 114 and `which retains the boot on the plate 101 and thus also on the ski 102. The rings122 serve additionally the purpose of fixing a long strap binding 124 for downhill runs, the binding 124 'propping the ankle joint.

In case of a torsional fall, the heel will turn around the front swivel jaw 113 and 114 and the ball 104 gives way against the pressure of the spring 112. Consequently the heel sole plate 101, remaining on the boot, turns somewhat varound the ball 103, glides from the surface 11, and becomes completely free together with the boot. The latter 'is connected with the ski only by means of the ankle catch ,strap 132, which is capable of being drawn out and is se- 'cured to a lug on the guidance housing 110.

Incase of a fall in a forward direction the same action occurs analogously in a vertical direction.

`After Ithe fall `the runner must press the -top of the boot against the front swivel jaw 113 and tread down with the heel. Thereby, the facet 125 of the back stop 107 presses back the ball 104 which again engages the seat 106 and closes the binding. The second embodi-ment of the present invention, Which is disclosed in form of three examples, comprises a combined touring and downhill running lbinding according to ,the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 3 land 4, the disengageable holder compr1ses a sole pla-te 201, which is riveted together of rigid portions 237 and 238 and a flexible connecting por.-

ftion 239. The portion 237, alike the first embodiment is retained on the ski between a rigid abutment, namely the round nose 203 in the seat 205, and a yielding abutment formed by a ball 204 in a seat 206 biased by a spring 212,

rIlhe position of the ball 204 is fine-adjusted by provided on the rigid portion 237, which lies under the 'ball of the foot.

The round nose 203 is riveted to the rigid portionV 237 of ,the Asole plate-201. The seat 205 is screwed to the ski 202.

On the portion 238 of the sole plate 201 are mounted adjustable jaws 241. A bent-lever rear tightener 243 is hooked into rings 242 of the jaws 241. If in case of a fall during a touring run overstrains occur, the spring 212 of the ball 204 yields, the ball 204 gives way against the force of the spring 212 and the plate 201 is loosened from the ski 202.

At its rear end the sole plate 201 is equipped with a seat 244 which is engaged by a spring loaded ball 245 `of the detent 246 if the lever 247 is tilted and Ia spring 248 of the detent 246 is released. The seat 244 is formed to be steep in its upper part and to run at on its sides, thus mainly serving as a rear holding-down device, however, rendering small resistance against torsional forces. An eccentric 249 of the lever 247 is connected with the spring 248 by means of la cup disc 250 and a tie rod 251.

The rigid portion 237 of the sole place 201 carries on its front -jaws 213, which form the stop and the holdingdown device.

In FIG. 5 the sole plate 301, again consisting of two rigid portions 337 and l338, as well as of the elastic intermediate member 339, is secured at its front by laterally -arranged, disengageable and spring biased abutments, which are formed here by balls 302 and seats 304. The balls 302 are -biased by springs 303 and Ithe latter are adjusted in turn by means of screw caps 329. The seats 304 are worked into flanges 352 of the carrier y353; the latter is screwed to the ski 302.

The jaws 340 and 341, as well as the rings 342, the rear tightener 343 and the jaw 313 correspond with the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4. The rear detent 344 to 349 ifs likewise identical.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the sole plate 401 again comprises the elastic intermediate portion 439, the jaws 440 and 441, the bent-lever rear tightener 443 and the front swivel and holding-down jaw 413 and is secured by the rigid portion 437 on a journal 454, serving 4as -a front abutment; the journal 454 is screwed to the ski, whereas the other abutment is formed by the detent 444 to 451, which is identical with that shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The rigid portion 437 has a star-shaped aperture 455; the toothed -segments 456 of this aperture are cranked land rest on the cylinder 457 of the journal 454. The toothed segments 456 are secured by a wire spring 458 against an upward pull; the spring 458 vbevels partly into the cranks 459 of the toothed segments 456 and engages partly the recesses 460 of the journal 454. The recesses 460 are deeper than the corrugations of the wire spring 458 and, therefore, this can deform and can enter deeper the recesses 460, if the pull of the toothed segments 456 becomes `too strong; correspondingly the outer diameter of the wire spring 458 decreases, so as lto disengage the sole plate 401 in case of a fall. -If in case of a torsional fall, the detent 444 to 451 opens and the sole plate -401 is turned slightly, the toothed segments 456 will coincide with the corrugations of the wire spring 458 and the sole plate l401 will `be free, too, in this case without any pull, however.

If the ball 445 of the rear detent is released by tilting the lever 447, the rigid portion 438 of the sole plate 401 can follow easily the movements of the boot heel when touring. In this case the sole plate 401 is safe guarded against unintentional turning on the ski by the ball 461, which is guided in the hollow threaded pin 414 of the swivel jaw 413; the ball 461 is biased by the vertical spring `462, the tension of the spring 462 being controlled by the screw 463, which passes vertically through the swivel jaw 413. The seat 464 for the ball 461 is screwed 4to the ski.

In FIGS. 8 and 9 the fulcrum of the sole plate 601, resting on the ski coincides with the vertical screw bolt 614 ofthe swivel and holdingadown jaw 613. The second abutment yielding at overstrain is identical with the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7 and has the same refer- 70 ence numerals (increased by adding 200) 644 to 651. Here again the mid-portion 639 of the sole plate 601 is of flexible material, :and is riveted, cemented or welded to the lrigid end portions 637 and y638. The boot is clamped be- :tween the holding-down device or jaw 613 and the bentlever rear tightener 643, which engages the sole plate `601 at adjustable rings 642.

In case of forward falls the ball `645 `gives way and the sole plate 601 bends upwardly. In case of torsional falls the' ball 645 yields elastically, too, however, with substantially smaller forces, and the sole plate 601 lturns around the bolt 614 and depending on the position of the foot during the fall, the plate 601 will twist. If the rear detent 644 to 651 is released intentionally by tilting the lever -647 for touring, a guidance for the sole plate 601 and for the boot secured thereto is provided by inserting a sliding support 670, which engages ythe lateral edges of the ski by means of downwardly directed jaws y671 and which laterally guides the boot with upwardly -bent pins 672.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in -a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. A ski binding comprising a'heel sole plate,

means for rigidly attaching and strapping said heel sole plate to a ski boot,

said heel sole plate resting on the ski,

at least one spring biased abutment for retaining said heel sole plate on the ski,

means lfor releasing at least one end of said heel sole plate from one of said abutments in order to `disengage at least partly said heel sole plate from said ski in case of a vertical or a horizontal overl strain and to permit said heel sole plate and said abutment to be engaged again,

lateral jaws limiting a lateral movement of the ski boot,

said jaws being attached to said heel sole plate and adjustable to various heel widths,

said jaws consisting of ring lugs, and

a heel loop tightener including a bent-lever as well as a strap binding secured to said ring lugs.

2. The ski binding, as set forth in claim 1, which includes a holding-down device disposed in front of the ski boot tip and adjustable as to height, and

means permitting turning the heel portions of the ski boot about the axis of said device in case of a horizontal overstrain.

3. The ski binding, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said releasing means include means for disengaging said heel sole plate completely from sai-d ski.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,693,967 11/1954 Jones 280-11.35 2,745,672 5/ 1956 Meier 280-1 1.35 2,793,869 5/ 1957 Braun 280-1 1.35 2,836,428 5/ 1958 Marker 280-11.35 2,868,555 1/1959 Barnett et al. 2SC- 11.35 3,009,710 11/1961 Marker 280-11.35

FOREIGN PATENTS 951,618 4/1949 France. 1,106,928 7/ 1955 France. 404,662 6/ 1943 Italy. 583,953 10/1958 Italy.

88,427 2/ 1937 Sweden. 174,381 2/1961 Sweden.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

A. HARRY LEVY, Examiner.

M. L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SKI BINDING COMPRISING A HEEL SOLE PLATE, MEANS FOR RIGIDLY ATTACHING AND STRAPPING SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE TO A SKI BOOT, SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE RESTING ON THE SKI, AT LEAST ONE SPRING BIASED ABUTMENT FOR RETAINING SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE ON THE SKI, MEANS FOR RELEASING AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE FROM ONE OF SAID ABUTMENTS IN ORDER TO DISENGAGE AT LEAST PARTLY SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE FROM SAID SKI IN CASE OF A VERTICAL OR A HORIZONTAL OVERSTRAIN AND TO PERMIT SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE AND SAID ABUTMENT TO BE ENGAGED AGAIN, LATERAL JAWS LIMITING A LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE SKI BOOT, SAID JAWS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID HEEL SOLE PLATE AND ADJUSTABLE TO VARIOUS HEEL WIDTHS, SAID JAWS CONSISTING OF RING LUGS, AND A HEEL LOOP TIGHTENER INCLUDING A BENT-LEVER AS WELL AS A STRAP BINDING SECURED TO SAID RING LUGS. 